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Blog Liveaboard Dog Saying Goodbye
Honey the golden retriever gets a treat at the top of the steps.
Just one step to go. But first, I need a little smackeral of something.

Saying Goodbye

December 16, 2015 //  by Pamela

Hallelujah! We’re saying goodbye to an evil creature neither Honey or I will miss one bit.

For more than two weeks, we’ve been living in the boat up on stilts.

That means that many times a day we have to climb steep and wobbly stairs to get on or off the boat.

Today we say goodbye to the stairs. We splash the boat back into the water this morning.

But before we leave the stairs behind, let’s give credit where it’s due.

To Honey:

Honey the golden retriever wants to see liver treats before she climbs the stairs.
Okay, I’ll climb those nasty, steep steps. But you gotta show me the liver treats.

Yes, those stairs are just as steep as they look. I’m at the top looking straight down.

Honey the golden retriever takes the first step with concentration.
I think I can. I think I can.
Honey the golden retriever gets a treat at the top of the steps.
Just one step to go. But first, I need a little smackeral of something.

And let’s not forget Mike who carried Honey down the steps and back up again when it was too dark for Honey to make the climb on her own.

Honey the golden retriever gets picked up on the boat stairs.
Maybe I don’t have to pee after all. We should probably stay on the boat.
Honey the golden retriever is resigned to being carried down the boat steps.
Good thing I’m so petite.
Honey the Golden retriever - I hate my dog.
Gently now. Let me down nice and easy.

Great job, Mike and Honey. I couldn’t be more proud of both of you.

Honey the golden retriever high five.
High five!

Your Turn: What experience or object have you and your dog been happy to say goodbye to?

Category: Liveaboard Dog

Previous Post: «Honey the golden retriever high five. Why Do Dogs Die So Soon?
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Taryn

    December 16, 2015 at 7:54 AM

    That was a really long time to live like that! But Honey was probably working ya for those treats! After the first few up and downs, she knew what she was doing πŸ˜‰

    • Pamela

      December 16, 2015 at 8:27 PM

      It felt long to me. But I recently heard of a woman who was preparing to live on the hard for five months. In Thailand. With two children under the age of ten.

      Yep, we had it easy. πŸ™‚

      And are you telling me Honey would manipulate me for food? Really? Oh, alright. You’re probably right πŸ™‚

  2. Golden Daily Scoop

    December 16, 2015 at 8:13 AM

    Great job, Honey!!

  3. Oz the Terrier

    December 16, 2015 at 9:06 AM

    Splash-Down! Happy sailing…I am glad you are back on the water.

    • Pamela

      December 17, 2015 at 11:06 AM

      Me too. I was finding it hard to sleep on a boat that didn’t move. And when a boat on stilts DOES move, it’s really scary. πŸ™‚

  4. jan

    December 16, 2015 at 9:44 AM

    I got altitude sickness just looking at the pictures.

    • Pamela

      December 17, 2015 at 11:29 AM

      It certainly freaked me out taking the pictures. And to think I had considered climbing our 44 foot mast for my 50th birthday. So glad I didn’t do that. πŸ™‚

  5. Ann Staub

    December 16, 2015 at 10:44 AM

    Great teamwork! πŸ˜‰ It doesn’t seem like much fun!

    • Pamela

      December 17, 2015 at 11:37 AM

      While we were up on the hard, I heard about a woman who was getting ready to do it in Thailand. With two children under the age of 10. For 5 months.

      Believe me, it stopped my complaining for the most part. πŸ™‚

  6. Callie, Shadow, and Ducky's Mom

    December 16, 2015 at 11:01 AM

    Great job Honey and Mike!! And you, too, Pamela!! So, where are you off to now?

    • Pamela

      December 17, 2015 at 11:39 AM

      We’re heading out at dawn tomorrow with hopes of arriving at Mile Marker 0 of the Intracoastal Water Way around Norfolk, VA. Than it’s just south and south and until we feel warm again.

      Perhaps the Florida Keys? πŸ™‚

  7. Lindsay

    December 16, 2015 at 11:38 AM

    What a good man Mike is, and such a trooper Honey is. πŸ™‚

    • Pamela

      December 17, 2015 at 11:42 AM

      He is a good guy. Except for one thing.

      So he didn’t have to walk Honey up and down throughout the day, Mike really tired her out in the morning with lots of fun retrieving and wrestling and tug.

      This morning when I tried to amuse her with my pitiful stick throwing, Honey kept looking for Mike.

      He’s spoiled my dog. πŸ™‚

  8. Carma Allen

    December 16, 2015 at 12:26 PM

    I agree with Honey, I would want to be carried too. Hate to get a nail caught in one of those holes.

    • Pamela

      December 17, 2015 at 12:33 PM

      The nail thing was my biggest worry. But that’s the only benefit of the steepness. The angle made it less likely she’d catch a nail. Hallelujah!

  9. Emma

    December 16, 2015 at 1:08 PM

    I would be more afraid to be on a boat so high off the ground. Scary stuff!

    • Pamela

      December 17, 2015 at 12:43 PM

      I hate heights so I was totally freaked out. Especially when it was windy. But Honey didn’t treat it any differently. I guess I need to learn to be more like her.

  10. Elaine

    December 16, 2015 at 3:45 PM

    Yay! I bet you’re thrilled to get the repairs done and get back in the water. Honey is such a trooper, so adaptable and flexible! I think she deserves a special treat from Santa this year. πŸ™‚
    Sail on!

    • Elaine

      December 16, 2015 at 9:58 PM

      Thanks for your comment earlier today. I hope that you, Mike and Honey have a wonderful Christmas this year too. You guys have everything you need for the perfect holiday…each other, your health and lots of love. πŸ™‚

    • Pamela

      December 17, 2015 at 12:44 PM

      Yep, I was thinking about how adaptable and flexible Honey is this morning. She can’t step out of a tangled leash to save her life. But in the big things, we can always count on her. πŸ™‚

  11. M. K. Clinton

    December 16, 2015 at 5:27 PM

    Bon voyage! I’m sure you are glad not to have to climb those stairs anymore.

    • Pamela

      December 17, 2015 at 12:51 PM

      Even more, I’m happy to have my house moving in the water again. It was very weird not having my bed rocking at night.

      Of course, Honey slept fine either way. πŸ™‚

  12. Cathy Armato

    December 16, 2015 at 6:13 PM

    Way to go Honey!! I just love that last photo of Honey, she looks so beautiful.
    Love & biscuits,
    Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them

  13. Dachshund Nola

    December 16, 2015 at 9:21 PM

    Yay! Have fun!

  14. Jackie Bouchard

    December 16, 2015 at 11:34 PM

    Wow, that must have been tough. Nice work Honey & Mike! Hmmm…. something we were happy to say goodbye to?? All I can think of at the moment is the red dust from our recent vacation. Red rocks are beautiful and make for beautiful hikes, but Rita hated all the feet-wiping we had to do every time we got home! ANd there was no fenced yard so we had to take her out on leash all the time. We were happy to say HELLO to our fence!

    • Pamela

      December 17, 2015 at 5:42 AM

      So you’re saying that photographs of red rocks are a great way to enjoy them?

      Por Rita. She’s just lucky you didn’t make her wear boots on her hikes. πŸ™‚

  15. Lauren Miller

    December 17, 2015 at 3:38 AM

    Wow! Those stairs are really steep and also grated metal. My dogs are not a fan of walking on metal like that! Good job everybody! Isn’t PR training amazing? πŸ˜€

    • Pamela

      December 17, 2015 at 5:38 AM

      You said it, Lauren! And I’m very thankful that I always had treats along when we encountered sidewalk grates on our walks. Never knew how much that little training activity would benefit us later. πŸ™‚

  16. Jan K

    December 17, 2015 at 5:05 PM

    I’m guessing Mike doesn’t need any kind of formal workout program to stay in shape?

    I’m so happy for you that you’re finally off the stilts! I hope that means you’ll be heading to warmer climates soon?

  17. Jessica @ YouDidWhatWithYourWeiner

    December 20, 2015 at 10:57 PM

    I can’t believe she climbed those steps on her own. What a good girl. Glad you guys got the boat back in the water.

  18. Clowie

    December 22, 2015 at 7:19 AM

    Honey knows how to get treats! She could probably get up and down those in a flash if you weren’t watching!

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